Oaths of Allegiance in Colonial New England. Чарльз Эванс

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The Oath of Abjuration

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      I do hereby swear that I do renounce the pretended title of Charles Stuart, and the whole line of the late King James; and of any other person, as a single person pretending, or which shall pretend to the crown or government of these nations of England Scotland and Ireland, or any of them; and that I will, by the grace and assistance of Almighty God, be true, faithful and constant to the Parliament, and Commonwealth; and will oppose the bringing in, or setting up any single person or House of Lords, and every of them, in this Commonwealth.

      Soon after the Restoration, Charles the Second, by Proclamation commanded that the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance be tendered to all persons disaffected to the Government and, in case of refusal, that they were to be prosecuted under the Statute of the 7th of James. During the reign of his Roman Catholic successor, James the Second, the Oath of Supremacy was allowed to lapse, and the Oath of Allegiance, only, was in full force in the Colonies, up to the publication of his declaration of liberty of conscience for all denominations in England and Scotland, in 1687–1688, which sealed his doom.

      These preliminaries are necessary to a full understanding of our subject which naturally begins, in point of time, with the settlement

In New Plymouth Colony.

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      Strictly speaking, Plymouth was not a New England Colony. It was without a Charter, and the functions of its government were those of a Corporation. The power of the Oath of Allegiance their leaders had assented to always seemed to hang over them, and paralyze the initiative they should have taken. Their attempts to increase their circumscribed boundaries at New Plymouth were futile; and, in the case of their attempted settlement in Maine, disastrous both to the business reputation of their leaders, and to the Corporation. They could spare neither the men nor the means from the parent settlement to form permanent settlements elsewhere. They seemed doomed to failure. And yet hardly that, when we consider the impress upon our Nation made by their sterling qualities of mind and heart, their patience and fortitude under severe trials, the hopes and ambition of their teachings, and their never-failing trust in God’s Providence. These high qualities still animate and live in the great and growing number who proudly claim their ancestry from the Pilgrims at New Plymouth.

Combination for Foundation of Government

       known as

       The Mayflower Compact

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      In y^e name of God, Amen. We whose names are underwriten, the loyall subjects of our dread soveraigne Lord, King James, by y^e grace of God, of Great Britaine, Franc, & Ireland, king, defender of y^e faith, &c. haveing undertaken, for y^e glorie of God, and advancement of y^e Christian faith, and honour of our king and countrie, a voyage to plant y^e first colonie in y^e Northerne parts of Virginia, doe by these presents solemnly & mutualy in y^e presence of God, and one of another, covenant & combine our selves togeather into a civill body politick, for our better ordering & preservation & furtherance of y^e ends aforesaid; and by vertue hearof to enacte, constitute, and frame such just & equall lawes, ordinances, acts, constitutions, & offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meete & convenient for y^e generall good of y^e Colonie, unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witnes wherof we have hereunder subscribed our names at Cap-Codd y^e 11 of November, in y^e year of y^e raigne of our soveraigne lord, King James, of England, France, & Ireland y^e eighteenth, and of Scotland y^e fiftie fourth. An^o: Dom. 1620. [Forty-one names.]

      The Mayflower Compact has received full and adequate treatment in the paper read before this Society in October, 1920, by Arthur Lord, LL.D.

      The exact date of the two forms of Oaths first given has not been determined, but they are certainly later than the formation of the first Council in 1624.

Oath of Allegiance and Fidelity

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      The forme of Oath … which liue in this Colonie … the Oth of alegance to his maj … fidelity to the same.

      You shall sweare by the name of the Great God … & earth & in his holy fear, & presence that you shall not speake, or doe, deuise, or aduise, anything or things, acte or acts, directly, or indirectly, By land, or water, that doth, shall, or may, tend to the destruction or ouerthrowe of this present plantation, Colonie, or Corporation of this towne Plimouth in New England.

      Neither shall you suffer the same to be spoken, or done, but shall hinder, & oposse the same, by all due means you can.

      You shall not enter into any league, treaty, Confederac̄ or combination, with any, within the said Colonie or without the same that shall plote, or contriue any thing to the hurte, & ruine of the growth, and good of the said plantation.

      You shall not consente to any shuch confederation, nor conceale any known vnto you certainly, or by conje but shall forthwith manifest & make knowne the same, to the Gouernours of this said towne for the time being.

      And this you promise & swear, simply, & truly, & faithfully to performe as a true christian [you hope for help from God, the God of truth & punisher of falshoode.]

      The forme of the Oath which … of the Gouernour, & Counsell at euery Election of any of them.

      You shall swear, according to that wisdom, and measure of discerning giuen vnto you; faithfully, equally & indifrently without respect of persons; to administer Justice, in all causes coming before you. And shall labor, to aduance, & furder the good of this Colony, & plantation, to the vtmost of your power; and oppose any thing that may hinder the same. So help you God.

      The words, “a true Christian” were afterwards crossed out, and the form used later: “as you hope for help from God, the God of truth and punisher of falsehood” was substituted.

      By the Laws of 1636, every freeman was required to take the following Oath:

The Oath of a Ffreeman

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      You shall be truly loyall to our Sov Lord King Charles, his heires & successors, [the State & Govern^t of England as it now stands.] You shall not speake or doe, devise or advise any thing or things act or acts directly or indirectly by land or water, that doth shall or may tend to the destrucc̄on or overthrow of this pr̄nt plantac̄ons Colonies or Corporac̄on of New Plymouth, Neither shall you suffer the same to be spoken or done but shall hinder oppose & discover the same to the Govr̄ & Assistants of the said Colony for the time СКАЧАТЬ